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Keep an Eye on Public Wi-Fi

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Keep an Eye on Public Wi-Fi Keep an Eye on Public Wi-Fi Most people use some kind of mobile device, tab- let, or laptop on a daily basis, and most of us take advantage of open wireless networks. Whether at work or at school, at your local coffee shop or public library, we take for granted how often we use public Wi-Fi. While these hotspots are con- venient and, for some of us, a necessary part of our daily lives, they are certainly not secure. Free Wi-Fi is an easy way for someone to collect your personal data. When you’re connected, informa- tion sent through websites or mobile apps can be easily hijacked, including passwords. Things like mobile banking, bill-pay, or business transactions are prime targets for network trespassers to sniff out passwords, credit cards, and other personal information. However, there are ways to protect your information from potential intruders. Hotspot Precautions for Personal Devices • Before connecting, verify the name of the free • Install updates as soon as they’re available. network you’re about to use with any available Make sure all updates are done at home, on a staff. secure private network. • When using Windows, disable file sharing and • Don’t assume your apps are automatically se- identify the Wi-Fi connection as “public.” Go cure, updated, or using https. It’s safer to assume to Control Panel>Network and Sharing Cen- they are NOT. For online banking or financial ter>Change Advanced Sharing Settings. Un- transactions, use the company’s website rather der the Public heading, turn off the file sharing than their mobile app to ensure the transmission toggle. is encrypted. Make sure to validate the correct • Turn ON the Windows Firewall if it isn’t already spelling of the website address. activated. Go to Control Panel>Windows Fire- • Use two-factor authentication when utilizing a wall. Under the Public settings, turn OFF Net- service that supports it, such as Gmail, Twitter, work Discovery, file and printer sharing, and and Facebook. This gives you an added layer of Public folder sharing. protection in case someone manages to crack • In Mac, open System Preferences>Sharing. Un- your password. check Filesharing and remove all public home • Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure folder sharing options. your documents and browsing sessions. VPNs • Check for https (the S means “secure”) in the encrypt traffic between the device and the browser bar of every webpage you visit, not just server, making it much more difficult for an the sign in page. Browser extensions like HTTPS intruder to get to your data. Private VPN Everywhere ensure that https is being used. options like SecurityKISS, CyberGhost, and Disconnect.me are available for personal use. Indian Health Service Keep an Eye on Public Wi-Fi Wireless Security for Government Equipment Government furnished equipment (GFE) already has several security fea- tures enabled. However, there are ad- ditional steps you can take when using GFE outside of the office. • Make it a habit to shut down your lap- top when not in use to enable full disk encryption. • Don’t allow your computer to automat- ically join the nearest network. Man- ually select the hotspot each time you • Turn off bluetooth and wireless capabilities connect. Make sure your IHS VPN is when not in use. being used any time you’re connected to a network not personally owned by • A laptop's wireless connection isn't auto- you. matically disabled when you connect with a LAN cable (or Ethernet cable). Make sure to • NEVER work on sensitive material turn OFF the wireless capability when when using an unsecure connection. reconnecting to an Ethernet cable or port. Make sure you have prior approval to Always be aware of whether you’re work on sensitive information outside connected to a wired or wireless network, of the office. and only use ONE connection at a time. • NEVER leave your laptop or handheld device unattended - not even for a moment. • Be cautious when establishing a wireless con- nection through a non-secure environment (e.g., at a hotel or in-flight). Use a VPN connection whenever possible. If you need VPN access, contact your local IT staff. For questions or assistance regarding Wi-Fi Security, contact [email protected]. Indian Health Service.
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